'Star Wars: Episode VII' Tatooine location likely to be Abu Dhabi

It is now being reported that Star Wars: Episode VII producers are likely to rebuild Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine in Abu Dhabi.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that sources have said the film will be shooting in the United Arab Emirates location from around mid-May and has added that they will be shooting for around four weeks. Disney has yet to comment. The film will also shoot at Pinewood Studios in the UK.

The original version of Tatooine, as first featured in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, was built in Tunisia, but it is thought that the country's current political climate is a factor against it hosting a large scale film production.

Meanwhile, the character of Chewbacca has now been confirmed to be making an appearance in the new Star Wars film. Suspicion of the character's involvement in the new movie came when Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the first Star Wars trilogy and Revenge Of The Sith, cancelled a convention appearance because of filming this May.